


Affixed Positions

by sakon



Category: Saw (Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-18
Updated: 2021-03-18
Packaged: 2021-03-20 11:35:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30004275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sakon/pseuds/sakon
Summary: Out on the field, they have known positions. But here, they're just two guys on a date.
Relationships: David Tapp/Steven Sing
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4
Collections: FandomWeekly (2019-2021) Writing Challenge on Dreamwidth





	Affixed Positions

On the field, they fall into familiar roles. Follower and leader, Tapp - the head - barks the orders, silhouette unwavering and rigid, and Sing - the hands - follows, body springy and limber. But outside the field and in the space of romance, they're an entirely different thing; there's no head and hands, but just two guys and an ignored home-dinner date. Sing likes Tapp for all his confidence and vicious obsession, and Tapp likes him his concerned awkwardness and rookie enthusiasm; they're something between together and friends. It doesn't have a label yet, but Sing knows what it is.

What he doesn't know is how to approach it or what to do. Where do they fall?

There's no order for him to follow, no explicit messages, or some manual to read. (How to date your 20-year-old senior buddy-cop detective companion: The Book for Dummies, he sardonically thinks.) While typically that's okay, Sing's new to this talking-navigating Tapp thing, and he's not in the mood to mess up. More like he can't. Tapp's more than a bedfellow and cubby-buddy. He's a partner and intimate friend, and messing this up is flushing years of a wonderful friendship and horrible pining down the drain.

When he's tensing under Tapp's tentative touch, he's a hundred percent sure he's fumbling and utterly failing. They're only feeling, probably about to cuddle and watch a movie if he's reading the atmosphere right, so Sing shouldn't be as irrationally nervous as he is.

Tapp pauses, staring down at him with his usual smile. "...Sing, you okay?"

Sing swallows. "Yeah, I am, but--"

"But?"

"I never expected this. I dunno... uh, what to do. Just nervous, is all."

"It's a pleasant surprise," Tapp's slight smile cracks slightly wider, something that makes Sing feel pleasantly present beside him. "but go with the flow. Flash your normal charms. I'm just your average date."

Tapp is still Tapp, right. Sing still blinks up at him blankly.

"Normal. You." He breaks into a grin. "David Tapp. Jigsaw Homicide Detective. Completely average guy, I'd say."

Tapp smiles wider, but Sing catches the flicker of obsession in the fire of his eyes. "Utterly normal, Sing."

"Sing and Tapp. Yeah, utterly normal. We're on a date but still calling each other by our last names. I'm pretty sure that's not normal." Sing mutters, voice quieter and steady. He inhales, then exhales. His chest feels a bit lighter. "Y'know, all we need is a another murder to make this date so normal."

Tapp chuckles into his hand.

"Enough about Jigsaw. He torments us on a daily basis." He says, but Sing hears the bitterness of not being able to catch the bastard.

"So, Steven. We're normal now, right?"

Sing nods slowly. Sing's not used to Steven, but it's nice. This is nice and good.

"Good." Tapp says. "Now just relax and pull your charms. If it's not my thing, I'll reign you in, okay?"

The familiarity and reassurance feel good.

Sing nods. He'd say the same, but Tapp knows his tells, and if he can't read them, he knows Tapp will restrain himself on the first echo of a word. That's what a leader does, guides and shows, and Tapp is the leader to his follower, the dependable guy at his side. Tapp already knows he feels that way. 

Tapp lets his hand wander to Sing's hand as he thumbs his wrist-bone. He stays there, and with the other clicks the fat red button on the blocky remote.

Sing shifts closer, hesitates, and lingers just over Tapp's rough, calloused hand before setting a hand down to sandwich his. His umber is dark against the beige of Sing's skin, firm youth against weary, calloused hands. Just like in navigating the field and crime, like when the sun rises, and their badges are shining gold and silver and reflecting the sun as they roll down the road, Sing follows Tapp. This isn't an investigation or the field, and their roles aren't set in stone here, but he can follow Tapp. He can listen to Tapp because Tapp knows - knows loads more with his sage wisdom and understated guidance. And when it counts, Sing knows that Tapp, too, in turn, will listen to him.


End file.
